Co-design and implementation of integrated care digital health technology for older people in Ireland: Learnings from The ValueCare Project

Introduction: Digital health has been identified as a valuable method in supporting older adults’ self-management and well-being in their home setting. The ValueCare Project is a European research project, funded by Horizon2020, which seeks to co-design and deliver integrated care to older people living with chronic health conditions to improve their quality of life, as well as their integrated care providers, and support the sustainability of healthcare systems in Europe. Aims: To describe the implementation process of digital health technology within an integrated care setting for older people living with frailty in Ireland. Highlights: Digital health technology was implemented at two community-based integrated care hubs for older people and the wider community in Cork and Kerry. Several key learnings emerged from the implementation process: (1) co-designing digital health technology with older people, family caregivers and integrated care professionals ensured that the technology aligned with current clinical practice while providing an enhanced integrated care pathway for older people; (2) strong relationships between the research team and integrated care teams were crucial to enable effective communication and trust during the process; (3) using an adaptable digital tool enabled the research team to focus on and revise the content of the solution; (4) challenges in participant recruitment occurred due to related to patient eligibility within the integrated care hubs and lack of interest in research or technology (5) it was necessary to actively adapt to the requirements of each clinical practice to implement new technology and (6) emphasising the potential educational benefits regarding positive ageing that participants may gain was important for the recruitment process, as well as the awareness of supporting the ageing population in Ireland in the future. The context of the implementation phase must be also considered, which occurred following the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical services were experiencing significant change and re-adjustment to provide care to older people who were considered most at-risk for the disease. Conclusions: Successful implementation was dependent on collaborative and transparent communication amongst researchers, technology partners, older people, family caregivers and integrated care professionals during the co-design and implementation within the Irish healthcare system. Acknowledging that this project is the first of its kind in Ireland, learnings from this process can inform future digital health implementation activities, policy and research regarding older people living with health conditions and other populations within integrated care settings, both in Ireland and internationally.